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{{Short description|Forced usage of Hindi in India}}
{{Template:Politics of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2023}}
{{Dravidian politics-col}}

'''Hindi imposition''' is a form of [[linguistic imperialism]] in which the use of Hindi is preferred over Indian states that do not use or desire to use [[Hindi]] as a [[Languages of India|regional language]]. The term is rooted in the [[anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu]], where it was proposed for Hindi to be taught in schools in the [[Madras Presidency]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Venkatachalapathy |first=A. R. |date=1995 |title=Dravidian Movement and Saivites: 1927-1944 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4402599 |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=30 |issue=14 |pages=761–768 |issn=0012-9976}}</ref>

The idea of modern Hindi imposition developed from Hindi and English being designated as an [[Languages with official status in India|official language of India]], with a motion to replace English with Hindi within 15 years of its designation{{Snd}}which has not happened.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2022-10-17 |title=Explained {{!}} Hindi imposition and its discontents |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/explained-hindi-imposition-and-its-discontents/article66023522.ece |access-date=2023-08-20 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Background ==
In India in 1951, there were around 1,652 languages used as a [[First language|mother tongue]], with 87% of the country's population of approximately 450 million speaking one of 14 different languages. The most popular was Hindi, spoken by around 30% of India's population. [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]{{Snd}}the prime minister of India at the time{{Snd}}viewed a ''[[lingua franca]]'' as necessary due to the diversity of languages. He suggested that the [[Hindustani language]] was the best option, as it was easy-to-learn, was already spoken by a majority of the population, and was thought to forge unity between Hindu and Muslim communities{{Snd}}whereas English would not be a viable due to the difficulties in educating a foreign language to millions of people. The [[Constitution of India]], therefore, designated Hindi and English as co-official languages, with the latter being phased out within 15 years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Agrawala |first=S.K. |date=1977 |title=Jawaharlal Nehru and the Language Problem |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43950462 |journal=Journal of the Indian Law Institute |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=44–67 |issn=0019-5731}}</ref>

The Constitution of India also states that efforts should be undertaken to promote the use of Hindi{{Snd}}where the [[three-language formula]] was suggested. In this format, a student's first language would be their own mother tongue, the second language would be Hindi, and the third language would be English. This was described as an educational burden where Hindi speakers would only have to learn two languages, whereas others would have to learn three, or possibly four languages if one's mother tongue was not the state's official language. Nehru also suggested that efforts should be made to simplify the amount of languages spoken by absorbing variants of Hindi into a single language, and creating one [[Writing system|script]] for [[Kannada]], [[Malayalam]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telegu]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Forrester |first=Duncan B. |date=1966 |title=The Madras Anti-Hindi Agitation, 1965: Political Protest and its Effects on Language Policy in India |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2755179 |journal=Pacific Affairs |volume=39 |issue=1/2 |pages=19–36 |doi=10.2307/2755179 |issn=0030-851X}}</ref>

== Arguments ==
[[File:Agitation-Bengaluru.jpg|200px|thumb|Marchers protest celebrations of [[Hindi Day]], on 14 September 2019 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.]]
Modern Hindi imposition has been used as a political tool, with many supporting the use of Hindi as a sole language of India with various arguments, while others oppose this action.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hindi, the New Hindutva Weapon of Polarisation |url=https://thewire.in/politics/amit-shah-hindi-polarisation |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=The Wire}}</ref> The term ''One Nation, One Language'' has repeatedly been used to justify the imposition of Hindi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Agarwal |first=Ayush |date=2022-06-04 |title=SubscriberWrites: The answer to ‘one language’ in India is not imposition of Hindi, but acceptance of diversity |url=https://theprint.in/yourturn/subscriberwrites-the-answer-to-one-language-in-india-is-not-imposition-of-hindi-but-acceptance-of-diversity/983246/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Uniformity ===
It has been suggested that the use of Hindi as a national language can unite its population, and can be used as an official medium of communication within India. People from the southern states have stated that it is redundant to use two different languages as a official language, when only one can be used instead.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-14 |title=Should Hindi be imposed in the country? Language experts debate |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/should-hindi-be-imposed-in-the-country-language-experts-debate-6594674/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Impact ==
{{See also|Anti-Hindi agitations of Karnataka|Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu|Anti-Hindi agitations of West Bengal}}
Efforts by politicians to implement the imposition of Hindi has been criticised in the media, suggesting that politicians are calling non-Hindi speakers second-class citizens within their own nation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-11 |title=Uphold India’s unity, don’t force another language war through Hindi imposition: Stalin |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chennai/indias-unity-force-language-war-hindi-imposition-stalin-8201722/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

To protest attempts at Hindi imposition, an 85-year-old farmer in [[Salem, Tamil Nadu]] committed suicide, stating that forcing Hindi in education would heavily disadvantage students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Protesting 'Hindi imposition', 85-year-old farmer sets himself on fire outside DMK office |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tamil-nadu-news-protesting-hindi-imposition-farmer-sets-himself-fire-outside-dmk-office-2301995-2022-11-26 |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref>

=== Suggested remedies ===
[[M. K. Stalin]], Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and [[Pinarayi Vijayan]], Chief Minister of Kerala, have both demanded that all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution receive equal treatment. Vijayan has specifically stated that exam papers for standardised examinations should be prepared in all languages, while Stalin has urged the government of India to promote all languages and maintain equal educational and employment opportunities for speakers of all languages.<ref name=":1" />

== See also ==
*[[Linguistic imperialism]]
*[[Hindi–Urdu controversy]]
*[[Bengali Language Movement]]
*[[Bengali Language Movement (Barak Valley)]]
*[[Bengali Language Movement (Manbhum)]]
*[[International Mother Language Day]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal bar|India|Politics|Languages}}{{Hindi topics|state=expanded}}[[Category:Hindi]] [[Category:Language conflict in India]] [[Category:Protests in India]] [[Category:Medium of instruction]]

Hindi imposition - Revision history

Killerhazard: Minor edits and structural improvements

Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article